For many, success requires that you specialize in one area or even one sub-area. If your interests are broader, you can be called a dabbler, or a jack of all trades, master of none. Those are rarely said as a compliment.
Where do you put yourself? Are you a Specialist whose total focus in on one narrow subject or a Generalist whose focus is on a broad range of subjects? One is not better than the other. In fact, there are strengths and weaknesses inherent in both.
A Specialist's strength is that he or she can dig deeply into the subject of study. Through this depth of knowledge, they are able to go deeper than anyone else would be able to do and thus find things that no one else might. The weakness is that he or she can become too narrow in their focus, cut off from any other influence and not allow for anything new to influence them.
A Generalist's strength is in the breadth of knowledge and how each new subject can inform each of the subjects that's come before. He or she can make new connections that might not be obvious to others. The weakness is they can often get bored and bounce to a new subject before accomplishing anything.
I'm fascinated by the Polymaths, the combination of Generalist and Specialist. According to Wikipedia:
A polymath (Greek: πολυμαθής, polymathēs, "having learned much")[1] is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas; such a person is known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems.
These were men who not only touched on a number of different subjects but had a deep grasp of each one of them. In fact, their grasp of their subjects was so profound that many of them made ground-breaking discoveries that are still affecting our lives today.
In an Autumn 2009 article for The Intelligent Life Magazine titled "The last days of the polymath," Edward Carr explores some of the influential polymaths of the past and some of the few contemporary people who fit the category. He looks at some of the reasons that so few true polymaths walk among us today.
I've often said that I'm more happy being competent in many things than be the best in any one thing. I have deep admiration for those who become the best in any field. Their mastery is a joy to see. I love to hear what motivates them and what drew them to their chosen field. But I know I'll never be that type of person.
For me, everything I learn has an impact on everything else I know. By understanding one area, it gives me another influence, another perspective, another viewpoint.
Polymaths have more fun! Or is that blondes? Innovation comes from having a different perspective on things, and you can't get a new perspective from the inside. Polymaths bring that unique view by default as they draw on all their experiences. Back when NASA was first figuring out how to send men to space, they neglected the small detail of how one might pee in a space suit. The (male) scientists were stuck until a lady secretary spoke up and asked why the astronauts couldn't just use a maxi pad for their space walks. Problem solved, all it took was someone with a slightly different life experience!
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